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Product Description

Designed with both city and country in mind, the Explorer leather backpack is where classic Ghurka styling meets adventure. Extremely roomy interior can accommodate a day's worth of business or touring gear, or an entire weekend wardrobe. The rugged vintage black leather body features two exterior side pockets, adjustable straps, and leather top hook for hanging. Post and tab closures for easy access.

Product Specifications

12" x 4.5" x 17"

Zippered side pocket

Additional side pocket closed with our signature post and tab closure

Leather straps

Lap top sleeve

Lap top sleeve

Pen / pencil slots

Interior small pocket

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What Fits in This Bag

Stories

Great Drives: Harriman State Park

While the City may get all of the fame, the greater state of New York is not without its treasures, amongst them its 179 state parks. Harriman State Park’s 46,000 acres make it the state’s second largest, and while well known as a destination for camping, hiking, mountain biking and other outdoor pursuits, Harriman is also home to some of the greatest driving roads to be found anywhere in the country. Just 45 miles outside of Manhattan, the park is an easily accessible automotive playground, and one could easily spend a full day navigating its wide array of hills, hairpins, and switchbacks. As it is a popular destination with nature lovers - particularly on the weekends - it’s best to hit the park when it’s emptier. Early in the m...

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While the City may get all of the fame, the greater state of New York is not without its treasures, amongst them its 179 state parks. Harriman State Park’s 46,000 acres make it the state’s second largest, and while well known as a destination for camping, hiking, mountain biking and other outdoor pursuits, Harriman is also home to some of the greatest driving roads to be found anywhere in the country. Just 45 miles outside of Manhattan, the park is an easily accessible automotive playground, and one could easily spend a full day navigating its wide array of hills, hairpins, and switchbacks. As it is a popular destination with nature lovers - particularly on the weekends - it’s best to hit the park when it’s emptier. Early in the morning or off season are the best times, though we’ve been known to play hooky on particularly nice days in the fall just to have a few hours with those glorious roads to ourselves.
The easiest way to get to Harriman State Park is via the George Washington Bridge. Take the upper roadway, then exit right just after the bridge ends to pick up the Palisades Parkway. The Parkway itself is a beautiful drive - tree lined with sloping curves and great vantages of the Hudson River. But do obey the speed limits, as radar guns are always out in force. Don’t fret though. Your restraint will soon be rewarded. After 30 miles on the Palisades Parkway you’ll take a lefthand exit at Exit 16, following the signs towards Lake Welch/Sebago Beach. Soon you’ll find yourself on Tiorati Brook Road, and this is where your fun begins. That yellow diamond-shaped sign warning you of curves ahead? It’s not kidding. Though only 3.6 miles, Tiorati Brook is a seemingly nonstop run of white knuckle hairpins, a challenging treat for both driver and suspension.
Tiorati Brook Road ends at Tiorati Circle, a roundabout at the base of Lake Tiorati which is a popular spot for picnickers and somewhere you’ll probably stop to snap a photo. Like much of the park, it’s postcard perfect. At the circle you’ll have the choice of taking Seven Lakes Drive in either direction, or bearing off onto Arden Valley Road. You’ll take all three. Start by following Seven Lakes Drive along the shore of Lake Tiorati. Seven Lakes is a beautiful road, not as technically challenging as Tiorati Brook, but incredibly scenic with smooth flat pavement, gentle curves, and elevation changes that will get you off your front two wheels if you hit them just right. Stay on Seven Lakes Drive going straight through the roundabout (though Kanawuke road can be a fun detour) and eventually it will dead-end onto NY 17, a magnificent road in its own right. Instead you’ll pull a quick U-turn and head back down Seven Lakes towards Tiorati Circle.
Now when you hit the roundabout, you’ll want to take Arden Valley Road, which will be to your left. While Tiorati Brook and Seven Lakes are well groomed and fairly gentle, Arden Valley is far from that. It’s a snarling route of teeth chattering broken pavement, blind turns, and exposed tree branches that your passenger will hate and your inner rally car driver will love. Arden Valley also ends at NY 17, at which point you’ll spin around and attack it again from the opposite direction. Once you reach the roundabout again you’ll be loving the adrenaline rush the curves provided but wishing for a smoother road, which is why it’s a perfect time for one more back and forth run down Tiorati Brook Road, which now lays directly in front of you across the roundabout. Once back to the circle you’ll take Seven Lakes in the opposite direction of your first run, exiting right this time. Seven Lakes Drive will take you over the Hudson River across the Bear Mountain Bridge, where you’ll pick up 9A along the river. Take 9A to the Saw Mill River Parkway, another of our favorite roads, that will give you a perfect last bit of driving pleasure before it takes you right back into Manhattan via the West Side Highway. Give yourself around 4 hours for the full round trip, and several more days for the grin to subside.
Stash your weekend drive essentials - camera, hiking boots, snacks and more, in the rugged Cavalier I.

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Caribbean Camelot: Jamaica's Round Hill

As winter winds through the American Northeast and snow falls outside our window, our thoughts naturally turn to warm weather escapes, particularly to one of our most favorite getaways, the island of Jamaica. Prior to its independence in 1962, Jamaica had been one of the crown jewels of England’s Caribbean colonies, where landed Brit’s had set up thriving plantations to take advantage of the rich agricultural trade. By the mid 20th century it had become a favored playplace of the American and international elite, with Errol Flynn, Ian Fleming, and Elizabeth Taylor amongst those keeping homes there. While Jamaica may have seen a great deal of change in the last 50 years, there is still one place that exists very much as it did...

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As winter winds through the American Northeast and snow falls outside our window, our thoughts naturally turn to warm weather escapes, particularly to one of our most favorite getaways, the island of Jamaica. Prior to its independence in 1962, Jamaica had been one of the crown jewels of England’s Caribbean colonies, where landed Brit’s had set up thriving plantations to take advantage of the rich agricultural trade. By the mid 20th century it had become a favored playplace of the American and international elite, with Errol Flynn, Ian Fleming, and Elizabeth Taylor amongst those keeping homes there. While Jamaica may have seen a great deal of change in the last 50 years, there is still one place that exists very much as it did then, with an appeal that has been seemingly untouched by time: Round Hill.
John Pringle was twenty-six years old, and having an issue not uncommon amongst twenty-six year old men. He had been in New York City for a few years, and grown restless over toiling in the rat race of city business, and considered returning home. Only young Pringle’s story did have a few unique variations, for one, he was already married to one of the most successful models of the time, and two, that home happened to be a massive sugar plantation in Jamaica. But Pringle was returning home with a plan. He wanted to take 29 acres of this land that overlooked the sea, and turn it into a getaway for the rich and famous. He would build 27 cottages and a separate hotel, and make owners of the cottages shareholders in the resort, renting out their cottages while they were away to turn a profit for the resort and defer their cost of ownership. It was a novel concept, which would in later years be imitated many times over, and proved an immediate success. The very first villa was sold to Noel Coward, the second to Adele Astaire.
The resort continued to be a haven to jet setters and celebrities, who found it a place they could get away with their families, surrounded by lush gardens, swimming pools, and private Caribbean beachfront. It was all constantly overseen by Pringle himself, who entertained guests with his oft ribald tales. Those guestbook read like a who’s who of the time- Alfred Hitchcock, Grace Kelly, Bob Hope, Big Crosby, Clark Gable, Paul’s Newman and McCartney. Cole Porter sang at the bar, Rodgers and Hammerstein wrote The Sound of Music in Cottage #11, John and Jackie Kennedy honeymooned in cottage #10.
Today’s Round Hill still exhibits much of the same style and charm, which can be largely attributed to one of its current shareholders and most passionate advocates, Ralph Lauren. Ralph and his wife Ricky purchased a Round Hill cottage called High Rock in the early 1980’s and later added to their portfolio Cottage #26, previously owned by Bill and Babe Paley and immortalized in the photographs of Slim Aarons. Lauren himself volunteered to oversee the redecoration of the main hotel in 2004, and all 36 rooms now feature his design. It’s exactly the type of place that makes us want to throw a wardrobe of flowing linen into our Khaki Twill Tilbury III no. 128, a classic that’s never been changed, because much like Round Hill itself, it got it right the first time.

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Ghurka Features

Our Leather

The Stitching

The Brass

The Process

Our Leather

Ghurka leather is never pretreated to remove any flaws, we must begin by using the most naturally flawless hides available. While we utilize a variety of leather types based on which is best suited to a particular product, the majority of our goods are made from French calfskin. Calfskin has a finer grain and softer feel than traditional cowhide as the younger age of the animal brings less exposure to the harsh elements, the main cause of imperfection. French calfskin in particular is considered the finest in the world due to the fact that farms in France do not use barbed wire, one of the leading causes of mars and scratches. As no two skins are completely alike, each and every handcrafted leather Ghurka product will have an individual character that adds to its unique patina as it ages.

The Stitching

We use an extra-thick spun nylon that should never snap or fray, and all of our craftsmen ensure that each and every piece is stitched to our exacting standards. A careful review of any two parts of a Ghurka leather luggage piece will reveal exactly the same number of stitches per inch, a requirement for anything that leaves our workshop. The placement of these stitches is equally exact, precisely laid out to the millimeter to ensure that every bit of leather is assembled to last a lifetime.

The Brass

Brass is the only metal we've found that offers the strength, durability, and reliability that have become our hallmark. Every single piece of our hardware - from zippers, buckles, and hooks to the smallest of snaps and rivets are made solely from this rugged and beautiful material. A great deal of time and expense has been invested in perfecting our brass zippers. Every single tooth is individually machined and polished to ensure flawless operation after years of continuous use. And since all of our leather briefcase and leather travel bag hardware is solid brass and never plated, it too will develop a unique character and patina as it ages alongside our famous leather.

The Process

Since our founding, Ghurka has set out to manufacture the highest handcrafted leather goods available in the U.S. This has always begun with using only the finest hides in the world. While there are endless varieties of leather available, only a handful pass the rigorous selection process required to bear the Ghurka medallion. Likewise, our signature solid brass hardware and trademark stitching process ensure that our bags deliver an unparalleled owner experience and lifetime of use.

Our Leather

learn more

show less

Our Leather

Ghurka leather is never pretreated to remove any flaws, we must begin by using the most naturally flawless hides available. While we utilize a variety of leather types based on which is best suited to a particular product, the majority of our goods are made from French calfskin. Calfskin has a finer grain and softer feel than traditional cowhide as the younger age of the animal brings less exposure to the harsh elements, the main cause of imperfection. French calfskin in particular is considered the finest in the world due to the fact that farms in France do not use barbed wire, one of the leading causes of mars and scratches. As no two skins are completely alike, each and every handcrafted leather Ghurka product will have an individual character that adds to its unique patina as it ages.

The Stitching

learn more

show less

The Stitching

We use an extra-thick spun nylon that should never snap or fray, and all of our craftsmen ensure that each and every piece is stitched to our exacting standards. A careful review of any two parts of a Ghurka leather luggage piece will reveal exactly the same number of stitches per inch, a requirement for anything that leaves our workshop. The placement of these stitches is equally exact, precisely laid out to the millimeter to ensure that every bit of leather is assembled to last a lifetime.

The Brass

learn more

show less

The Brass

Brass is the only metal we've found that offers the strength, durability, and reliability that have become our hallmark. Every single piece of our hardware - from zippers, buckles, and hooks to the smallest of snaps and rivets are made solely from this rugged and beautiful material. A great deal of time and expense has been invested in perfecting our brass zippers. Every single tooth is individually machined and polished to ensure flawless operation after years of continuous use. And since all of our leather briefcase and leather travel bag hardware is solid brass and never plated, it too will develop a unique character and patina as it ages alongside our famous leather.

The Process

learn more

show less

The Process

Since our founding, Ghurka has set out to manufacture the highest handcrafted leather goods available in the U.S. This has always begun with using only the finest hides in the world. While there are endless varieties of leather available, only a handful pass the rigorous selection process required to bear the Ghurka medallion. Likewise, our signature solid brass hardware and trademark stitching process ensure that our bags deliver an unparalleled owner experience and lifetime of use.